Music box attachment for vending machines



W. G. BOWLUS MUSIC BOX ATTACHMENT FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed Aug. l5, 1951 Nov. 11, 1952 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 WELDON G. Bon/L as .lll

IN V EN TOR.

A TTORIY E Y Nov. l1, 1952 W. G. BOWLUS MUSIC BOX ATTACHMENT FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed Aug. 13, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 zbf W-oo/v 6. 50u/.4 as C INVENTOR.

TTORNE Y Patented Nov. 11, 1952 MUSIC BOX ATTACHMENT FOR VENDING MACHINES Weldon G. Bowlus, Dallas, Tex.

Application August 13, 1951, Serial No. 241,652

6 Claims.

This invention relates to Vending machines and. more particularly to an attachment for such machines adapted to produce music during the operation of vending merchandise from such machines.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a Swiss music box attachment for various types of coin operated vending machines, especially the type generally designed for vending salted peanuts, candies and the like, said attachment being calculated tc stimulate interest in the vending machine to which it is attached, to result in increase in sales from the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a music cox attachment which is both economical and simple and designed for installation in a vending machine in a minimum of time by unskilled persons without requiring special tools.

Broadly, the invention consists of a conventional Swiss music box so arranged in relation to the vending machine as to possess maximum audibility and whose winding shaft is connected in such manner to the operating handle of the vending machine that the spring of the music box can be wound each time the operating handle is actuated. Moreover, provision is made to preclude overwinding of the music box spring and possible damage to the music box, the spring being wound a predetermined degree during each operation of the vending machine. Hence, it is not possible to increase the tension on the music box spring beyond a predetermined degree even if the vending machine is operated a number of times successively at closely spaced intervals.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention has further reference to certain features of accomplishment which will become apparent as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a conventional vending machine in which the invention is shown installed.

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of the winding tube and head.

Figure 3 is a View in transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the conventional vending wheel.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of a conventional vending machine showing a bottom plan view of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5, and

Figure 'l is a perspective view of the cam track forming a part of the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing reference numeral Ill denotes generally the housing of a conventional machine for vending commodities such as peanuts, candies and the like. This housing is made up of the upper and lower sections I I and I2, respectively, the upper section having windows I3 to reveal the merchandise in the machine. The two sections lI and i2 are held in iixed relationship by means of an axial rod I4 which extends from the top to the bottom of the machine housing IQ, the lower end of which is provided with a head i5 and, by virtue of a square portion I6, is held non-rotatably in an aperture in the bottom I1 of the lower section I2.

While the music box attachment of the present invention may be designed for application to various types of vending machines, the present adaptation is as shown and occupies a position below the top plate or cover of the vending Inachine. In this position, maximum audibility is made possible. The music box I3 is interposed between the conventional cover or top I9 of the machine and a plate 20 which latter is composed of wood to prevent damping of the sound emitted by the music box I8.

To facilitate installation of the attachment in or on the vending machine, the elements making up the attachment are assembled together and held in xed relationship so that they can be attached to the vending machine as a unit. These elements consist of a plate 2l which is provided with side flanges 22 adapted to embrace the top of the upper housing section II. The plate 2l is perforated and dimpled as at 23 to effect relative spacing between plate 2| and wooden plate 28. A weather housing 24 embraces the music box I8 but only partially covers the area of the wooden plate 2Q, to which itis attached by means of bolts 25, which bolts also secure the wooden plate 20 to the lower plate 2|. The housing 24 has no bottom to interfere with the transmission of sound from the music box I8, which is secured directly to the wooden plate 2H. The housing 24 is also without a top other than the cover I9, whose flange 2S extends part way around the housing 2li at one side of the machine. A wooden ller block 2l is disposed under the cover I9 at the side opposite the housing 2li and is secured to the wood plate 2i? and underplate 2l by bolts 28, which extend through the block 2l and plates 20 and 2l, thus holding all of these elements in xed relationship.

The cover plate I9 is secured to the underplate 2l by means of a sleeve 29. The upper end of the sleeve 29 is internally threaded to engage the threads 3D on the barrel 3l of the lock cylinder 32. The lock cylinder 32 is internally threaded, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, to receive the threaded upper end of the rod lll, which, as stated, extends axially through the machine. By inserting a key into the lock cylinder 32, the latter may be disengaged from the barrel 3l and rotated to effect disengagement of the lock cylinder with the rod id, whereupon the cover plate i9 may be removed, along with the music box attachment, consisting of the elements 20, 2l, Z4 and 2l, inasmuch as the sleeve 29 secures these elements together by virtue of its threaded lower end and the nut 33 which is attached to the threaded lower end and which bears against the underside of the lower plate 2 l.

The winding shaft 3d for the spring which operates the music box I8 extends through openings in the wooden plate 2G and the underplate 2l. The extended end of the winding shalt 35i has a transverse opening in which is mounted an actuating arm 35. This arm is adapted to be swung onan arc of approximately 180 degrees by means of a winding head t which, for reasons to be explained presently, is substantially triangular in sape and is provided with right-angular ngers Si at each of its three angles-the fingers being adapted to successively engage and move the operating arm of the winding shaft 3d. The winding head 36 is aiiixed to the upper end of a tube 33, the latter embracing the rod ill to a point below its mid-section. The lower end of the tube 58 is made into triangular form as at 32, to be received by a correspondingly shaped recess lc in the hub di of a vending wheel ft2, as shown in Figure 4 and which is a part of the conventional vending machine.

Vending wheel 32 is provided with a multiplicity of radial ngers Q3 which are engaged by a toothed wheel Ml, mounted on a shaft l5 which extends through the front wall of the vending machine. An operating knob lll is mounted on the outer end of the shaft t5 and whose function is to rotate the wheel 6,4, which in turn rotates the vending wheel ft2, to bring into successive register withthe mouth il of the chute i3 the several openings i9 of the vending wheel ft2. The quantity of peanuts or other merchandise entrapped in each of the openings t9 of the vending wheel l2 constitutes the quantity delivered into the receptacle El) following the insertion of a coin and the operation of the handle llt.

rlhe purpose in making the winding head triangular and the lower end of the tube 38 of corresponding shape is two fold. Primarily, the fingers 3l are pre-disposed in relation to the winding arm 35 to insure against displacement of this arm beyond 180 degrees from its starting point predetermined by the stop 5l, against which it comes to rest following the operation of the music box. The triangular form of the winding head and the lower end 3S of the tube 33 makes it impossible for the operator to improperly install this element.

Presence of the invention on the vending malchine does not interfere with its normal operation nor does it alter in any Way the normal operation oi iilling the machine since the cover i9 is removed in the usual manner to gain access to the upper section l l ci the machine, although inthe present case, the music attachment is removed along with the cover I9.

In Figures 5, 6 and '7 is shown a modified form of the invention. The music box 52 is mounted on a wooden plate 53. the latter, in turn, being mounted on an underplate 54 which is provided with a flange 55 adapted to embrace the top of the upper section 56 of the vending machine, fragmentarily shown in Figure 6. Housing 5l is interposed between the cover 58 of the machine and the wooden plate 53 at one side and is secured by means of screws 59 to the wooden plate 53, set screws also securing both the housing 5l and the wooden plate 53 to the flanged underplate 513. Opposing the housing 5'! is a wooden ller block Si] which is joined to the plates 53 and 59 by means of bolts 5I. A sleeve 62 is threaded at its upper end to engage the barrel 63 of the lock 64 which secures the cover 58 to the rod 155, the latter securing the upper and lower sections of the vending machine together.

The sleeve 62 secures the cover 53 and plates 53 and 5i together as a unit so that when the cover 58 is removed, the elements of the music box attachmentv are likewise removed.

On the underside ofthe lower plate 5d is a plate 66 having circumferentially spaced legs 6l on its perimeter, these legs having their ends turned at right angles to provide feet 63 which are perforated to receive screws 6@ adapted to hold the plate 56 in fixed relationship with the plate 5ft. The plate 65 has a central opening lil through which extends the triangularly shaped upper end ll of a tube l2. The tube l2 extends downwardly and is held in any suitable manner, such as by means of a triangularly shaped lower end in engagement with the correspondingly shaped recesses in the vending wheel of the vending machine, such as shown in Figures l to 4. Accordingly, when the vending wheel is rotated, the tube 'l2 is likewise being rotated.

Mounted on the triangularly shaped portion il of the upper end of tube 'I2 is a disc l. This disc has a central opening of triangular shape to receive the upper end l'i of the tube *i2 and while the disc is rotated Iby the tube l2, it is free for vertical displacement thereon and is normally urged. downwardly by means `of a coil spring le. Struck downwardly from the disc 'I3 is a series of three fingers l5. When the disc 73 is rotated by the tube l2, the lingers 'l5 ride up von to cam segment l5 arranged in a circular manner on the plate 66. There are three of these cam segment-s 76, as representing degrees of the circle and their ends are spaced 20 degrees apart and when the iingers l5 are in elevated positions on the cam segments le, prongs 'il struck upwardly at circumferentially spaced interv-als on the periphery of the disc 'i3 will be brought successively into engagement with the winding arm T3 mounted on the winding shaft 'ifi of the music box 52. The length of each cam segment T6 determines the degree of displacement of the winding arm i8. Each cam segment i6 has a gradual rise a and an abrupt drop b, hence when the ngers l5 reach the end of the cam segments 16, they will ride off the cam segments at their ends bunder pressure of the spring 'M and the upturned prongs ll will drop below the plane of the winding arm lll, the prong which is currently engage-d with the arm 73 being disengaged therefrom to allow the arm to return duringl unwinding of the music ybox spring and will comer to rest against the stop The arrangement shown will enable the winding arm 18 to be moved 180 degrees regardless of the number of times the vending machine is operated in rapid sequence.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and den scribed is capable of some modication and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and mea-ning of the appended claims is also considered to be Within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vending machine having a vending wheel and an operating shaft therefor, a music box attachment for said vending machine comprising vertically spaced and relatively separated non-metallic plates, a spring actuated music box supported on one of said plates and having a spring Winding shaft extending therethrough, a Winding arm on said shaft, a tubular member detachably supported on said vending Wheel and rotatable therewith, a winding head aflixed to said Winding tube at one end and having a series of circumferentially spaced fingers adapted for successive engagement with said winding a-rm when said oper-ating handle is actuated and effective to displace said Winding arm a predetermined degree t-o Wind the spring of said music box.

2. In a vending machine having a housing in separable sections and a rod joining said sections together, a vending Wheel rotatable lon said rod, an actuating handle for said vending wheel, a cover for the uppermost section of said housing, a music box attachment for said vending machine comprising a series of metallic and nonmetallic plates in fixed relation to said cover, said plates and cover being centrally apertured to receive the upper end of said rod, a spring actuated music box disposed between said cover and one of said non-metallic plates and having a. spring winding shaft extending through the lowermost of said plates, a Winding arm attached to said shaft, a tube embracing said rod and adapted to be rotated by said vending Wheel and means operated by said tube adapted to be brought into successive engagement with said winding arm and effective to Wind the spring of said music box a predetermined degree during each operation of said actuating handle.

3. In a vending machine composed of a housing having :a cover, a rod extending axially through said housing and cover, a vending wheel rotatable on said rod, an operating handle for said vending Wheel, a series `of metallic and nonmetallic plates secured together and to said cover for removal from said housing with said cover as a unit, a spring actuated music box attached to one of the non-metallic plates under said cover and having a Winding shaft, a, Winding arm on said shaft and means operated b-y said vending Wheel adapted to be brought into engagement with said Winding arm upon each operation of said operating handle to Wind the spring of said music box a predetermined degree.

4. In a vending machine composed of a housing in separable sections and provided With a vending Wheel and an actuating handle therefor, a music box attachment for said vending machine comprising a group of interconnected and spaced apart plates of metallic and nonmetallic material, a spring actuated music box attached to one of the non-metallic plates and having a winding shaft extending through the loWermost of said plates, a Winding arm attached to said shaft and means actuated by said vending Wheel adapted to be moved against and past said Winding arm to Wind said music box spring a predetermined degree upon each operation of said vending Wheel actuating handle.

5. In a vending machine composed of a housing having a vending mechanism and an operating handle therefor, a music box attachment for said vending machine comprising a plurality of metallic and non-metallic plates joined together as a unit, a spring actuated music box attached to one of said non-metallic plates and having a Winding shaft extending through an opening in the lowermost of said group of plates and means actuated by said vending mechanism adapted for periodic engagement and disengagement With respect to said Winding shaft to Wind the spring of said music box a predetermined degree upon each operation of said operating handle.

6. The structure of claim 5, in which the means actuated by said vending mechanism consists of a plate having circumferentially spaced fingers adapted to be successively advanced against said Winding arm.

WELDON G. BOWLUS.

No references cited. 

